Eye care supplements have become a big growth driver within eye care sets, and for good reason — baby boomers aren’t getting any younger and they plan to see their great grandkids play in the sandbox someday, so eye health is paramount.

In contrast to the most recent cough-cold season, which was characterized by a relative lack of upper respiratory illnesses, pharmacy shoppers with itchy eyes, runny noses and audible sneezes have been back in force this spring in search of allergy relief.

Optics Laboratory recently kicked off a new consumer campaign in support of its OcuFresh Eye Wash product. The product, which helps flush eye irritants like pollen, dust and smoke without perservatives, will be featured across the “Mommy Blog” circuit.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the maker of Zyrtec, on Wednesday announced that actress Kate Walsh and beauty expert Rebekah George will address "allergy face" — the beauty challenges that can come along with typical allergy symptoms — during a live webcast April 10 at 8 p.m. EST on Ustream, a live interactive broadcast platform.

A mild winter may be setting the stage for a particularly strong spring allergy season for sufferers allergic to tree pollens and mold. The incidence of seasonal allergy has been soft of late, but IMS Health is predicting a significant uptick in allergy sufferers in the coming months.

More pharmacy retailers are offering allergy screenings to their patients at no charge. And while the cost for the testing can be considerable — allergy screenings can run upward of $500 — the service is an additional way pharmacies and clinics can get closer to the communities they serve by offering an important service to parents.

In preparation for spring, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology on Friday noted that avoiding certain fruits and vegetables, installing the proper air filters, closing the windows, filling any allergy prescriptions and consulting with an allergist can all prevent the delay of allergy symptom relief for more than 35 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.

As of the beginning of February, the cough-cold season had yet to materialize and illness levels were only just beginning to climb. If that’s the case, then an expected illness peak in late February/early March would make the 2011-2012 cough, cold and flu season one of the later-peaking seasons in recent years.

A wet spring has made for ideal allergen-creating conditions — the growth of ragweed and an increase in mold. According to a Quest Diagnostics study, sensitization to common ragweed has grown 15% nationally since 2000, while mold grew 12%.

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SPECIAL REPORTS

Are we in the midst of a beauty revolution? Perhaps. It is no secret that the ever-changing beauty category is all about trends, but one could argue that we are embarking on an especially interesting time in beauty as technology is changing the way consumers shop and new innovations strive to break through the noise.

In this beauty report, Drug Store News takes a deeper dive into some of the leading trends that are reshaping beauty.more ...

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